Automobile body and method of making same



W. I.. FRY.

AUTOMOBILE BODY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED-FEB. 3, I9I7- Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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women L. rumor DETROIT, EIGHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE sssronunurs, r0 nnwm a. noun MANUFACTURING column, A conronurrou or rnmrsrn-v vms.

AUTOMOBILE BODY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

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specification. of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. '7, 1922.

Application med February 3, 1917. serial 160.1%,328.

To all whom it may concern;

of the city of Detroit, county of Wayne, and

State of Michigan, have invented an improvement in Automobile Bodies and. Met? ods of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal automobile bodies, and more particularly to closed bodies or bodies having a stendin roof, such as the well-known Springfiel type body, and aims to provide a construction of body and method making the same, such that the body be constructed in the least number of operations and that in the construction of the body, the manual opera tions, particularly fitting and filing operations, maybe avoided.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a side view of the rear portion of a Springfield. type sedan body, made according to my inven tion; 2 is a rear view of the same body; Fig. 3 is a side view oi the quarter panel of my improved hody; Fig. l is a view of the rear panel; 5 is a sectional view imti is a vertical Figs. '7

proved body and Fig. tional view oi? the rear panel. are detail sectional views of the the window opening.

it will understood that l have ii trated a Springfield type body, since invention is particularly useful in connecticn with this type, but that it may he an plied. to various other types of bodies as well.

My present invention aims to provide a construction in which the amount of welding is reduced to a minimum, and in which the parts are so arranged that when the body is assembled, any slight variation will not cause the critical positions, such as the positions of the window frames, beading etc. to be disturbed. I may thus run the beading and form the rear edge of the window opening before erecting the plates in position without fear that when erected these parts will not occupy their proper positions. I am also enabled by my inventlon to dispense with 'oints at such critical positions, so that a .slig t variation in the size, shape or position of the panels will cause no bad effects.

In order to obtain the results outlined above, I sub-divide'the portion of my improved body lyin back: oi the rearmost door into three Sllb-dlVlSlOIlS! two quarter" panels which extend from the floor line to the roof, and a rear'panel which also extends from the floor line to the roof. The quarter panel shown at 1, extends from the rear edge of the door 2, to the curved portion of'the body, its rear edge being shown at 3. It will be understood, however, that this panel may if desired. The thus occupies a to the quarter p vertical position portion 5 is pcssil tions. The uppei 7., or any othe r be formed. in t rear edge 4: of the window, fixed relation with respect and no variation in its curvature oi" the in prior construclower headings ti and ornamentation may er panel by stamping, or in any suitable the joint between the upper beading ti and the half round moulding at the point a is eliminated.

By reason of the the window frame requires no hand fitting after the body has been assembled, i may roll into such port on i, an abutment 9 tor the window it). as hown in Fig. 5, and this abutment may be ormcd below the quarter is pu W Y and 8 illusdew in Fig. '7 the is pressed into the shape lines then fastened to the window stile ii. is then only necesto bend the flange 152 inwardly into the groove in the stile, the Window efi'ectively concealing any irregularities. In Fig. 8 awire 13, is rolled in the edge of the sheathing which by overlapping the stile forms the window abutment, as indicated.

The rear panel 14: extends from the r001 to the floor line, and if desired may have a window opening 15, formed therein. The heads 6 and 7 are stamped or otherwise formed in the rear panel.

After the frame has been erected, the rear and quarter panels are applied, and welded together along the lines 16 and 17. -With such a construction, the beads upon the various panels may be caused to register easily and any slight variation may be taken up on the lines 16 and 17 which do not involve be made longer or shorter fact that the edge l of othods oi iormtill Ill

any critical positions and form relatively short weldin' lines upon surfaces which may be easily file or otherwise finished.

I do not intend to confine myself to the precise structure shown and described since it is evident that man modifications may be panel, said quarter panels abutting at their rear vertical edges with and secured to the I vertical edges of the back panel, each of said quarter panels having a portion extending' horizontally to the rear edge of the rear door of the body, and another vertical portion extending to the roof of the body, said vertical portion formed with means at its forward edge to constitute a window sash abutment.

2. An automobile body having sheet metal quarter panels extending from the floor line of the body, each panel having a horizontal portion extending forwardly towards the rear dooropening at the height of the arm rail, and a vertical portion extending upwardl to the body roof, said vertical portion ormed at its forward vertical edge with an abutment for a window sash.

3. An automobile body havin sheet metal quarter panels extending from t e floor line to the roof of the body and conforming at their rear vertical edges to the transverse curvature of the body, each of said panels having a portion thereof extending forwardly towards the rear door openlng at the height of the arm rail, and the portion of said panel which extends to the roof formed at its forward vertical edge into an abutment for a window sash.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this th day of January, 1917.

. WALTER L. FRY. 

